Automatic laundry-valve.



C. A. LlNDGREN'& W. H. PERKINS. AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY VALVE. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 23. 1914.

1,159,967. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

"I yZ/ I 75E BY A TTORNEYS cbLuMmA PLANOGRAPH co..wASI-nNa'r0N. D. c.

c. A. LINDGREN & w. H. PERKINS. AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

9 36 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 37 zg.% 3 Z7 Z3 Z3 L 1s af c INVENTORS WITNESSESWIN/am ff, Per/fins 1 M Car/ A i/hqyre/y ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPHcm; WASHINGTON. 04 c4 C. A. LINDGREN & W. H. PERKINS.

AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY VALVE.

APPLICATIQN FILED JULY 23,1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORNEYS coLummA PLANOGRAPH COUWASNNCITON, D. c.

C. A. LINDGREN & W. H. PERKINS.

AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, I9I4.

Patented Nov; 9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I //v I/EII/ m5 Will/am l7. Per/ ms Car/ Alma/ req A TTOR/VEYS ICOLUMBIA FLANODRAPH cc.,wAsl-uNn'roN. D. c.

srrns CARL AUGUST LINDGB-EN AND W'ILLIAM HUDSON PERKINS, OF HATHORNE,MASSACHUSETTS.

- AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY-VALV E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed July 23, 1914. Serial No. 852,750.

United States, and residents of Hathorne,

in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand Improved Automatic Laundry-Valve, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact'description.

This invention relates to the control of water to a laundry machine orother device, and has particular reference to a simple, reliable andeasily controlled mechanism for the purpose of delivering either hot orcold water or a mixture of hot and cold water to a washing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to automaticallycontrol the flow of water into the machine or the depth of water in themachine irrespective of the temperature of the water.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved deviceto vary the depth at which the automatic action of the valves takesplace. I

The foregoing and many other objects of the invention will hereinafterbe more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawingsforming a part of this specification in which like characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention,certain parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thesame; Fig. 3 is a vertical trans verse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section substantially on the line 44of Fig. 1, and indicating the valve in open position and set to deliverboth hot and cold water; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, butindicating the valve closed; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional detailof the main valve mechanism on the line 66 of Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 areside elevations of details of thepilotvalve; Fig. 9 is a sectional viewof the pilot valve on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an inner endview of the conical valve plug shown in Fig. 6 in detail; Fig. 11 is avertical transverse section of the valve casing substantially on theline 1111 of 'Fig. 1; Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the same onthe line 1212 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 13 is an elevational View indicatingthe relation of the valve mechanism to the washing machine andadaptation of the automatic float mechanism thereto.

The'several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials,and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as the general design ofthe mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departingfrom the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth andspecifically claimed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings we show at 15 a washingmachine of any suitable'type or construction, and 16 indicates a pipeadapted to deliver water into the lower portion of the machine. At

17 is provided a float chamber having a pipe 18 communicating with thebottom of the machine. This pipe is fitted with a normally open stopcook 19, the same, however, being adapted to be closed when theautomatic operation of the valve is desired to be prevented, as when themachine is to be left empty.

The numeral 20 indicates as a whole our improved valve mechanism. Thismechanism includes ,a casing 21 of novel and peculiar construction, thesame being substantially cylindrical longitudinally and including aplurality of chambers. Hot water is adapted to be admitted into thechamber 22 preferably at one side of the middle portion of the casing.and cold water is adapted to be admitted into the chamber 23 preferablydiametrically opposite from the chamber 22, the hot and coldwater beingdelivered to the casing by means of pipes 22 and 23 respectively.

At 24 is shown a cylindrical valve seat lying between the hot and coldwater chambers 22 and 23. This valve seat 24 is rigidly supportedsubstantially along the longitudinal center of the casing 21 and may, ifdesired, be cast integral therewith. By reference to Fig. 12 it will benoted that this cylindrical valve seat has open ends, the rear endcommunicating directly with a de livery chamber 25 at the rear end ofthe casing and this in turn communicates through a port 26 with thedischarge chamber 27 at the bottom of the casing and to which theaforesaid pipe 16 is connected.

The numeral 28 indicates a cylindrical valve fitted in the seat 24 andadapted for both reciprocation and ro'tatioh therein. The valve 28 has apair of ports 22 arranged circumferentially of the valve and adapted toregister witha port 22" of the hot water chamber and whereby the hotwater may pass into the interior of the valve 28 and thence through endpassageways 29 to the discharge chamber 25 (see Figs. 4- and 6).Likewise the valve 28 is provided with circumferentially arrangedports23 adapted to communicate with a port 23* whereby cold water maypass from the chamber 23 into and rear'wardly' through the valve, takingthe same co'urse as above described in connection with the hot water,this condition allowing a mixture of hot and cold water to pass throughthe valve when the valvejis set in mid positionas to rotation', as shownin Figs. 4 and 5, More definitely stated, the valve 28 is adapted toij'otate through an arc ofsubs'tantially 180 de grees or 90 degrees ineither direction from said mid position. One of the ports of each pairof cir'ciimferentiallyarranged ports leading through the wall of thevalve 28 is adapted to maintain registry or communication with itscorresponding valve seat port when the valve is rotated to the maximumextent, the other valve seat port at such time being closed bythe'imper'torate portion 30of the valve. I j

Theiiieans we provide to control th -rota tion ofthevalve 28 includes avalve stem 31 shown in Fig. 3 as polygonal in cross section and looselyfitted in a socket 32 of a closed head 33 at the front end of the valve28. Said stem 31 extends forwardly, a ap 3% closing the front end of thecasing 21 where it is fitted with a stulhng boX making it substantiallywatertight. A, handle BB is secured. rigidly to the front end of thestem which cooperates with a-y'oke37 shown conveniehtly clamped to orsupported upon a neck 38coii'stituting a portion ol the gland 35.Thisyoke has stops 87 and 37 to determine the position of the handlewith respectte the delivery of hot andc'old water respectively. Theoperator obvieiisly rotate the valve stemand valve at any time in eitherdirection according to the character of water desired. If hammer onlyrisdesired, a rotation of the handle 36 to the left in 2 will cause theuppermost ,o'rt '22? toregistei with the port 22 whilethe port 2 3? willbe closed. Movement of the handle in the eXtreme opposite directionwillopen the coldwater port to the eivclus ionof the hot water. iOur'devices tor pr viding for the auto.- matic coiitrol of the ow ofwater through the valve casing, irrespective of the'tem ea am or theWater delivered theret hands a power piston 39 secured,,rig.idly to thehead 33 of the valve 28. Thispiston cooperates with the c imdr'ieai'treat portion meansof the pressure incident to the water supply; in thisinstance shown as provided through the cold water chamber 23. When thewater pressure is exerted on the front 'face of the piston 39, it andthe valve 28 will be forced rearwardly into the position shown in Fig.fl: W hen, however, the pres- 7 sure is exerted against the rear face ofthe piston, the valve 28 will be closed as shown in Fig. 5, all of thevalve ports being closed by the unbrokenpoitions of thevalve seat f 24and the end of thevalve seat being sealed by a gasket 4:1 carried by avalve-42 rigidly seclired at the rear end of central'support extendinglongitudinally of the valve rearwardly from thehead 33, said gasket e1seating snugly against the rear end 44 of the valve seat As shown inFigs. 5 and 10, the end valve a2 is provided w1th a lug {l5 adapted tocooperate with a rib 46 to facilh tate' the assemblage of the valveparts.

Any suitable means may be provided to operate the piston39 automaticallyin either direction. As a preferred means for this purpose v've show apilot valve located adjacent one side of the cylinder i0; The pilotvalve structure comprisesa valve, plug 47 having a tapered fitjin aseat4i8 formed in the casing 21, the plug being held in fixed positionby means, or asap 49 ap -salsa the front end of the seat 4:8, as shown;best in Fig. 5. Referring to Figs. 5 andj'l, the plug l7 has a cut-out50. at the middle of its lower end and is hollow fronrits rear endforwardly to the head 51. The plug is formed with a circiimferentialgroove 52 just a eel-ear or, the head 51 and s a vided with a series ofports 53" providing communication between the grooves 52 and the hollowinterior. I Jikewi'se at t-he rear 7 The shank is bored all the waythrough the head 59, thebore 61 terminating adjacent the head 58. Thehead 58 is provided with a cavity 62 and ports68 lead therefrom into anannular grove 64: incommunication with the ports 55 whenthe valve 57 isinns rear.- ward position, as shown in Fig. 4. Just front of the groove64 is a valve membeib 65 of slightly smaller diameter than the head 58and adapted to seatfiipon the ai'iiihlar shoiildei 66 when the'pilotvalve is'ih its front position, as shown in Fig. 5. A series of holes 67lead through the shank of the valve 57 just in front of the valve member65 into the central bore 61 whereby communication may be'had from thechamber 23 with the cylinder 4:0 on the front side of the piston 39through the port 56, socket 48, cavity 62, ports 6% and 67, bore 61 andports and 52, when the valve is in its rear position shown in Fig. l Thepressure of the water may act upon both faces of the piston 39, but suchpressure is greater on the front facethan onthe rear face because of thegreater amount of exposed surface. Hence, when the valve 57 is in theposition just described, the pressure of the water will cause the pistonto move rearwardly, opening the valve ports and allowing the water toflow from one or the other or both of the water supply pipes 22 and 23,as previously described. Any water which may be in the cylinder back ofthe piston 39 when this movement takes place may pass freely therefromthrough the port 54.

The means we prefer to use to move the valve 57 rearwardly automaticallyso as to initiate the delivery of water through the main valve casingincludes a yoke 68 secured to a rock shaft 69 journaled in a hearing 70and extending laterally from the main casing. The yoke 68 embraces theshank 60 of the pilot valve and when the rock shaft 69 is oscillated ineither direction the valve is caused to reciprocate correspondingly. Abracket 71 is connected to the outer end of the rock shaft and haspivoted to its rear end a sleeve 72 through which a rod 73 extendsloosely vertically. A cap 74 is fixed to the upper end of the rod 73 andserves by engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 72 to cause therotation of the rock shaft 69 in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFig. 1, when the rod 73 is drawn downwardly through the sleeve. A float7 5 is connected to the lower end of the rod 73 and is adapted tooperate in the chamber 17. When the water is low in the tank 15, thesame level being observed normally in the chamber 17, the float 75acting through gravity will descend, causing the movement of the bracket71 and pilot valve mechanism as above described, and hence causing theflow of water to take place through the main valve whenever the level ofthe water in the tank or machine 15 drops to certain predeterminedpoint. lVhen, however, the water rises in the machine and chamber 17 thefloat 75 will be buoyed upwardly. causing the rod 73 to move upwardlythrough the sleeve 72 until some part of the rod or a member attachedthereto engages the sleeve 72 and causes rotation of the rock shaft andbracket in a counterclockwise direction and causing the pilot valve 57to be thrown forwardly, as shown in Fig. 5.

When this action takes place at the pilot valve, the valve member willseat against the valve shoulder 66 and close the communication forwardlythrough the plug 47. The water pressure through the pilot valve willthen all be exerted through the ports groove 5a, port 5 1;, so as to actdirectly upon the rear face of the piston 39 with the effect that themain valve 28 will be forced forwardly and closed, as shown in Fig. 5.This action is automatic and independent of the rotary position of thevalve 28. lhe water which may be in the cylinder -10 in front of thepiston 39 prior to this closing action may escape through the port 52,groove 52, ports 53 and an annular groove 76 around the head 59 andthrough the loan gitudinal grooves 77 extending rearwardly from thegroove 76 along the head 59 into the hollow "portion of the plug 47through the chamber 48 and out through small port 78 at the bottom ofthe casing 21 and into the bottom chamber 27 leadingto the maindischarge pipe. vVe have found by a number of experiments that thepeculiar form of the pilot valve 57 with respect to the circumferentialand longitudinal grooves prevents noise due to hammering or the like.

As a convenient means to set the automatic mechanism foroperation at anydesired depth of water in the machine 15, we provide a scale 79 upon therod 72 having any suitable graduations thereon increasing in valuedownwardly. The illustration given indicates marks for inches from eightto seventeen. A bar 80 is arranged parallel to the rod 73 and gage 79and at its lower end has a loop 81 surrounding the gage serving' as apointer or index in coiiperation with the gage numbers. At the upper endof the bar 80 is a head 82 which is adapted to engage directly againstthe lower end of the sleeve 72, and the head includes a clamping device83 of any suitable means adapted to grip the bar 78 in accordance withthe desired position of the indicator 81 on the rod 79. As shown in Fig.1, the indicator is set for a depth of sixteen inches. When the float 75 is lifted by water to the depth of sixteen inches, the head 82 willact upon the sleeve 72 and stop the flow. The minimum depth providedfor, as indicated, is about seven inches, the index 81 being adapted tobe limited in its upward movement along the scale by means of a stud 84.Under ordinary circumstances a lower level of water would never bedesired for practical use of the machine. A downward movement of the bar80 is limited by engagement of the head 82 against the upper end of thescale 79. If it is desired to empty the machine, the stop cook 19 isclosed so as to prevent the weight of the float 75 from opening the mainvalve of the machine.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In an automaticlaundry valve, the combination with a main valve casing an a combinedrotary and a longitudinally V movable valve therein for delivering wateralso poi-ts formed through the plug leading throughthe grooves to saidhollow inter or, there being a valve seat formed within the plug betweenthe rear end and said cut-out, and a reciprocating pilot valve mountedwithin the plug and bearing against said valve seat in'one position,said valve having a hollow shank between the valve proper and the frontend thereof, the pilot valve being formed with a groove surrounding itsrear end, the rear end also being hollow and having a series ofports'leading therefrom to said groove, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a main valve casing including a power cylinderand a recip- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,by addressing the i'ocating piston therein, said casing having a pair ofports communicating with opposite ends of said cylinder and being formedwith a valve seat adjacent thereto and also having a port communicatingwiththe end of said valve seat, of a plug fitted in said seat, said plughaving annular grooves communicating with said pair of ports, therearend of the plug being hollow and having portsileading from the hollowinterior to both of said grooves, the hollow interior of r the plugbeing also in communication with the third mentioned portwherebyfiuidpresi sure may always be communicated to the cylinder ateither end of the piston, reciprocating pilot valve to control the dianda 7 rection'ofmovement of said pressure 'fiuid,

said pilot valve having a valve head at itsrear end, said head having ac1rcumferen tial groove surrounding the same and a hollow interiorcommunicating with the last mentioned groove through the ports, theother end of the pilot valve constituting a hollow shanlrhaving radialports extending to the surface thereof in frontof the valve head,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witness's,

CARL AUGUST LINDGREN, WILLIAM HUDSON PERKINS. Witnesses: r A JOHN B.MACDONALD,

G no; M. KLINE. V

Washington, I). '0.

f Goniniissicner of Patents,

